Method and apparatus for separating string beans



Dec. 8, 1931. F. P. RYDER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATINGSTRING BEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet l QI. n

Filed Sept. 30,' 1929 akamu/q Dec. 8, 1931. F. P. RYDER ET AL METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR SEPARATING STRING BEANS Filed Sept. 50, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 [um MCH/s/MM Patented Dec. 8, 1931 FRANK rrr'risnimnenien Winn Pierein ern-ce' iiiivi noiviirin crirsrioLivi, or NIAGARA.FALLS;

NEW YORK i Y ivinrrionaiin Arrankrus ironsnranariiie sfrniive BEANSpacman yaiefi sapiente 3o, ieee; 'se'iei No. Sea'a Our invention relatesto means for sepaH rating string beans from fstalks and other portionsof the plants on whichthey lwere Y grown. The canning of stringbeans'has be- 5 come an extensive industry and hardly less importantthan the canning of green peas. But while 'it has-been'fo'und possibleto do away with' theh'and labor formerly required for picking andshelling green peas'by viiiers 0 which tliiesh the peas from the vines,the harvesting of string beans presents a much greater difficulty 'andup tothe presenttim'e it isthegeneralpiactice to hand pick the Y beansfromvthe vines. It is possible to strip 15 the beans frointhe plants `onwhich they were grown by mechanical means but iii so stripping thebeansl froinlthe plants leaves and stalks are strippedwith them and theseparation of the beans fronithese'stalks and leaves 0 difficult'.`Beans picked by liaiidalso'carry with thein'kmo'i'e or less leaves andpiecescf stalk which it is desirable to eliminate. It is the object Aofnur present .invention to `devise means for effecting-thiselimination.25 VVhilel string beans are of considerable length and substantialthickness,- soine of the stalks stripped" from the plants' with thebeansjmay be' longer than the beans ando-f as great thickness and maybe. as heavy with 3i, sap as the beans;` Leaves, leaf stalks and many'of the plant st'alks'will be of less thickness than the beans,th'e'thickness of beans suitable y for canning" being about' ten sixty#l fourths of an inch, and maybe more' or less 5;; dried out.` y w l Incarrying outV our invention we take advantage of the diEer'e-i'icein'thickness of the l.

beans and leaves for 'leaf stems to effect separation of the beansandtliicker stalks from 4e leaves and thinner stalks and take advantageof the difference in length between tlie'beans and stalks of greater'length than the beans to effect further separation.

Because of the Vgreater thickness ofthe 1;.; beans they may be Agrippedby'vimpelling ork accelerating means which will permit leaves,A

pelled or thrown a si'ibstanti'al 'distance def, pending on theirweight,the momentum iiiif` parted te a bean` heavywith sap beinggreaterthanlthat imparted to a stalk of the A saine thickness less heavywith sap. It fell' lows that beans and heavier stalks may be thrownfurther than stalks less heavy with sap and that beans and stalks ofsufficient thickness to 'be acted onA by the iinpelling .I means may bethrown much further than the leaves and thinner stalks y j ln theseparation of the beans from'. Vthe longer stalksV we'take advantage ofthe` fact that a long stalk given a forward movement c will continueV inthe line ofrmoveinent' uiitilv c5 its rearend leaves the grippiiigmeaiisand so its forward end will reach and be caught by a second1 grippingmeans'while a beannot of suiiicient length to reach such second grip-vping meanswill drop as'sooii as its rear endy 7b" leaves the iirstfeeding means. y With the objects above described and'other objectshereinafter explained in -vi'ewvour in-` vventioii consists in themethod and apparatus liereinafter'described and claimed Referringftothedrawings: i p Figure lfis a longitudinal sectional view of a completeapparatus embodying our in vent-ion and adapted to carry out'our method.t L

'Figure 21 is af longitudinalsectional view on sti an -enlarged scale'of the gripping and accelerating unit. 'Y Y i w y Figure 3 is a frontView ef the gripping a'ndI accelerating unit.

ln the din wings' l iiidicat'esthe rstor gripy eine' and acce'le'ratinviunit arranged on a" t3 i C C base Q, and 3 indicatesthe second or stalkVeliminating unit arranged lon abase 4. The

bases @and 4 may bel continuous or separate and base l may be lower thanbase 2. Iii' 60' either case the units l and 3 are Yso separated as toleave between thein asubst'antial space 5 suiiicient to Y permit leavesand portions of the bushes of relatively slight thicknes's'to l dropbetween the two units, but near lenough 95 together to .permit the beansand the large stalksv thrown by the accelerator rollers of' the firstunit to reach the feed belt of the sefcfL ond unit. An'air currentmaybe'supplied` .y by a blower 6 directed downward in a. direc- 10h 11and 12. Beans thus accelerated are caused tion inclined towards thefirst unit into space 5 to lessen the length of gap 5 to eliminate theleaves and particles of relatively slight thickness that have not beengiven high velocity by the accelerator rollers.

Unit 1 comprises a feed belt 7 carried on rollers 8 and 9, one of which,preferably roller 8, is driven. Roller l() carried on adjustablebearings serves to keep this feed belt tight and ruiming straight sothat its upper surface does not sag between rollers 8 and 9 or run toone side. This upper surface of the belt may be inclined downwardtowards roller 8. Slightly above and forward of roller 8 is arranged apair of gripping rollers 11 and 12 having peripheral surfaces ofyielding material such as rubber. These gripping rollers take themingled beans, loose leaves and stalks from feed belt 7 and carry themupward between them at a speed substantially the same as that of thefeed belt.

The peripheries of the two gripping rollers are in contact, the yieldingcharacter of their surfaces permitting beans to pass between themwithout injury. The peripheral speed of the gripping rollers ispreferably about 50 feet per minute, though we do not desire to belimited to any particular speeds.

Above and slightly forward of the gripping rollers is a. pair o'faccelerator rollers 15 and 16. These accelerator rollers have peripheralsurfaces of elastic material such as rubber and are so arranged thattheir peripheries are spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness ofthe smallest of the beans which are desirable for packing purposes. Theyielding surfaces of these accelerating rollers permits beans of greaterthickness to pass between them without injury and all beans or stalkswhich reach these accelerator rollers and are of a thickness greaterthan the space between them will be sized and have imparted to them avelocity of travel equal to the periplie al speed of the acceleratingrollers, while stalks, leaves or other portions of the bushes of lessthan this thickness only contact with the lower one of the acceleratorrollers by gravity alone and their velocity of travel will be onlyslightly increased over the peripheral speed of rollers to jump acrossgap 5 while the slower moving leaves, stalks and other portions of thebushes not of sufficient thickness to be acted on by the acceleratorrollers will fall short. rl`he air from blower 6 may be used to cheekall movement of these slower moving portions of the bushes and causethem to fall close to unit, 1.

The shafts of rollers 11, 12, and 1,5, 16, have their bearings inhousings 17 and 18, arranged at an angle of about 45 degrees to thevert-ical so that the path traversed by the beans and stalks is bothforward and upward so as to utilize the force of gravity as well as airiesistance to differentiate between fast and slow moving bodies. rlhehousings may, however, be so arranged that the path of movement of thematerial will be horizontal and air resistance alone made use of.

Unit 3 has feed belt 2() corresponding to feed belt 7 of unit l andcarried by rollers 21 and 22 of which one, preferably roller 2l, isdriven, and tightening and aligning rollei Feed belt 20 delivers thebeans and stalks which drop upon it, from the accelerator rollof unit 1t0 feed rollers 24 and 25 by which they are fed to a pair of aligningrollers 26 and 27. The peripheries of the rollers of each pair are incontact and have peripheral surfaces of yielding material such asrubber.

Above and forward of the upper pair of aligning rollers 26 and 27 is athird pair of gripping rollers 28 and 29, separated from rollers 26 and27 by a substantial space slightly greater than the length of the longerbeans. Gripping rollers 24 and 25 are driven at a peripheral speed ofabout 50 feet per minute while aligning rollers 26 and 27 and grippingrollers 28 and 29 are driven at a peripheral speed of about 100 feet perminute. Rollers 26 and 27, driven at higher speed than rollers 24 and25, draw stalks gripped by the latter rollers into .direct line tobridge the gap between rollers 26 and 28. Stalks thus aligned which arelonger than the longer beans will bridge the space between rollers 2Gand 27, and rollers 28 and 29 so that their ends will enter betweenthese rollers 28 and 29 to be gripped and carried forward by them. Tofacilitate this entering of the ends of ling stalks between rollers 28and 29 a shield 8() is arranged above the path of movement of the beansand stalks extending from near roller 27 to near roller 29 slightlyabove the line of travel of the material moving` between rollers 24 and25, and 26 and 27. A shield 31 may be provided extending from near theupper portion of the periphery of roller 26 downward. Through the spacebetween rollers 26 and 28 the beans, being shorter will drop whilelonger stalks will reach across and be gripped by rollers 28 aiid 29,and will so be carried away from the beans which drop between rollers 26and 28.

Other means than the rollers 24, 25 and 2a 27, such as feed belts may beused for aligning the beans and stalks and causing the` longer stalks tobridge the space between s'. i-zh feeding and aligning means, and thegripping` rollers 28. 29. No claim is herein made for specificconstruction of the second unit or for the arrangement in which thesecond unit, that is the unit by which longer stalks are caused tobridge a space through which the beans drop, precedes the unit by whichthe beans are given an acceleration or velocityy greater than that givento leaves and stalks of less thickness than the beans, as such specificconstruction and arrangement of unita rollers offene i aeeeratingra wasf-orins the lsnbj eet matter ofj a separate applieation'fforjpate'nt of4even -date herewith.

Vite-ny drivinglmeans adaqzitedf` lto 1drive-the y attlie" speeds-aliove' findicatd and for driving the nrollers offthesec'ndlunit-atthespeeds 'indicatetlfinay be" =il`sed. In l` I*`i',`f:i;nre `43 an'Zarrangement *of drivingfmeansis indicated, thisarrangeinentltlie'shaft's il, 12a, ofthe 'gripping roll'- ers, and theshafts 15a, 16, of theaccelerater rollers areconnectedat oneend-,preferably 'Vfl'iible GIi-'HeC'tiDSg t'O the' Shafts "of g arscarried iin gear "boX- 40 *and "driven f *by Ypow-er i l.' The rollers2of the-secondI unitaire' drive ,by-Tal similar? a'rrange'n'ient ofgearing; Having-thijs described our invention/what we'elai-inis: l Y v'1.V Infra methodl ofE separatingstnng beans' frein"` loosele'av'e's,-`stalks"and other portions offthe plants fon which-they weregrown, giving'thebeansand thie'kerst'alks a velocity of movement greaterthan that given to leaves andi thinnerportions lof the plants by whichthey will be caused to fall at a distance "from the point atwliiehthefthinner portions fall. 2. Inafmethodfof separating loosestring beans from leaves, stalks and other portions of the plants onwhich they were grown causing the beans and thicker stalks to be given avelocity of movement greater than that given to leaves and portions.stripped from the plants thinner than the beans by which the beans willbe caused to fall at a distance from the point 'at which the smallerportions fall, and subsequently separating the beans from the longerstalks.

3. In a method of separating string beans from loosev leaves, stalks andother portions of the plants on which they were grown,V

causing the beans and thicker stalks to be given a velocity of movementgreater than that given to thinner portions stripped from the plants byaccelerating means so spaced as to act upon the beans and thicker stalksand not upon thinner portions of the bushes by which the beans andthicker stalks will be caused to fall at a distance from the point atwhich the leaves and thinner portions fall. Y

4. The method of separating string beans from portions of the plants onwhich they were grown, suchV as loose leaves and stalks, which comprisesso imparting movement of translation to the beans and portions of theplants that the beans will be given an acceleration of movement greaterthan that given to portions of the plants of less thickness as to causethe beans to be impelled further than the portions of less thickness areimpelled. Y 5. The method of separating string bean from portions of theplants on which they were grown such as loose leaves and stalks, whichcomprises so impaiting movement of translation in a direction oblique toa vertical line to the beans and portions of the ly eliminatingstalkslongerthan-the beans.

' 7. The -Inetliod-oi" separatingstring beans from portions 'of theplants on whichthey were grown suchl as loose `leaves and stalks whichfconsistsfin "first-separating the beans from portions ofthe plants o'less thickness `than the beansbyfso-imparting 'movement of translationto thebeans and portions of the stalks that the beans willV be given anacceleration of movement 'greater than that given to-'the portions ofthe plants of less thickness Aastocausethe beansto be iinpelledurtlier'than suchportions o'f the plants of less thickness-fandseparatingv'the beans subjectedto v'such acceleration from'- stalkscarried' with them of greater length than the beans byl sor-impartingmovement of translationtoitliebeansland stalks in a straight lineinelinedfrom the verticalthat the stalks will beca'usedto bridge anope'ningorl less length tliansuch stalks-but ofA greater'len'gt'h' thanthe beans 'andlc'ontinuing'tlie movement lof the stalks'while permittingthe beans-to' drop.

`8. Tn apparatusfor separatingstring beans lfrom portions of the plantson whicnthey were "grown, such as'loos'e leaves and stalks, l

means giving the beansfand portions of the plantsmovement oftranslationand accelerator meansjgadaptedfto"grip the beans and thicker stalkswithout gripping portions of theplants of' thickness-less than that `ofthe 'beans-and to impart tothe beans andStalks gripped vftfheni avelocity of 'movement' greater than that given to `theportions of theplants-'of lesst'hickness. Y :9; Inapparatnsfor separating string beansfrom4^ other' portions-'of theplants I on which they lweregrown,.sucli''as loose leaves and stalks, means for givingtliebeans ands otherportions of' the plants movementofvtranslation"in' 'a line' oblique toLa vertical line, accelerating lmeans sospaced as to gripthe beans and,thicker stalks without gripping portionsof the plants'of 'thicknessless than that offtheV beansfand toimpart toj the beans and stalks sogripped by them a velocity of movement greaterftli'anthat" given to theport-innsv of `Vtheplants ofl lessi thickness; i

10. IMeans for separatingstlring beansf'f'ro'm loose leavesandi stalks4comprising means `for imparti-ng movement of translation tothe beans,loose' leaves and stalks at a predetermined velocity, and acceleratingmeans adapted to so act upon the beans as to give to them an increasedvelocity greater than that given to the loose leaves and stalks and toimpel them further than the leaves and stalks are impelled.

l1. Means for separating string beans from portions of the plants onwhich thej)7 were grown such as loose leaves and stalks comprising apair ot feeding rollers having their peripheries in contact or nearly incontact and means for driving them adapted to receivebetween them thebeans and portions of the plants and to impart to them movement atpredetermined velocity, and a pair et' accelerating rollers having theirperipheries so separated as to permit portions oi the plants ot lessthickness than the beans to pass between them without etlective contactwith more than one roller but so near that the peripheries oi bothrollers will act upon the beans and means tor driving the acceleratingrollers at a peripheral speed greater than that of the feeding rollers.

1Q. n apparatus for separating string beans from portions ot' the plantson which they were grown, such as loose leaves and stalks, acceleratormeans adapted to grip the beans and thicker stalks without grippingportions ot the plants of thickness less than that of the beans and toimpart to the beans and stalks gripped b v them a Velocity ot' movementgreater than that given to the prtions of the plants of less thickness,and means arranged to receive the beans and stalks from said acceleratormeans and to separate the beans 'from stalks of greater length than thebeans. l

13. ln apparatus for separating string beans from portions of the plantson which they were grown, such as loose leaves and stalks, means forimparting movement of translation to the beans and portions ot theplants and a pair ot accelerator rollers arranged to receive the beansand other portions of the plants from the movement impelling means sospaced apart as to permit relativelyr thin stalks, leaves and otherrelatively thin portions of the plants to pass between them, but soclose together that the peripheries oi both rollers will act upon thebeans and stalks similar in thickness to the beans, said acceleratorrollers being driven at such speed as to give to the beans and suchstalks an impetus suiiicient to impel them to a substantial distance.

la. In apparatus for separating` string beans from portions of theplants on which they were grown suclras loose leaves and stalks, a pairot gripping rollers adapted to receive the beans and portions of theplants between them and to impart to them movement of translation in aline oblique to a vertical line, means for driving the gripping rollersat a predetermined peripheral speed, and a pair of accelerator rollersarranged to receive the beans and portions of the plants from thegripping rollers and driven at a peripheral speed greater than that ofthe gripping rollers, said accelerator rollers being so spaced apartthat their peripheries will grip the beans without gripping the leavesand portions of the plants of less thickness than the beans.

15. In apparatus for separating string beans from portions of the plantson which theyv were grown, such as loose leaves and stalks, a pair ofgripping rollers adapted to receive the beans and portions of the plantsand to feed them to a pair 01"' accelerator rollers in position toreceive the beans Jfrom the gripping rollers, driven at higher speedthan the gripping rollers and so spaced apart that only beans andthicker stalks will contact with the peripheries ot both rollers of thepair.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto atlix our signatures.

FRANK PITTIS RYDER. WILLIAM DONALD CHISHOLM.

